Pages

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Therapeutic yoga stretches for sciatica (with photos!)

Dear readers, this sequence is very gentle but does contain a few backbends, so if you have lower back issues or injuries, proceed with extreme caution or consult a professional first.As a therapeutic sequence, it will work best if you do the stretches once a day. You may get better results if you do it twice: morning and night, but don't overdo it. Also, if another activity that you are doing - for instance, yoga - is causing your sciatica, this may not be enough to relieve your symptoms. You may have to ease off your other activity for a while if you want to feel results.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sciatica is a broad term used for pain relating to an inflammation or pinching of the sciatic nerve. The pain is usually felt in the lower back around the sacrum area, in the hips, or along the backs of the thighs. Sciatica is complicated by the fact that the sciatic nerve attaches at several points along the lower spine, and then runs all the way down your leg (it's the largest nerve bundle in the body after the spinal cord!), so the inflammation could be caused at any point along the nerve, and not necessarily where the pain is felt.

Sciatica can often be caused by repetitive motions or postures, such as pushing the gas pedal while driving or sitting cross-legged for extended periods. In yoga, sciatica is often associated with forward bending.

While by no means a miracle cure, this sequence targets the SI joint and the piriformis muscle, two areas of the body where sciatic irritation often occurs. The entire sequence could take 15-20 minutes, depending on how quickly you move. If you have time you will get the best results by focusing on slowing down your breath and trying to make your exhalations about twice as long as your inhalations.

NB: One of the WORST things you can do if you have sciatica is to overstretch the already irritated areas. Although you might think that stretching it more will make the pain go away, this is actually likely to inflame the nerve even more and make your symptoms worse. So instead, use gentle movements and deep breathing to bring your body to a state of relaxation and allow it to heal.

Sciatica Sequence

1. Apanasana: Warms up the lower back while keeping the SI joint stable. Begin lying on your back with your knees to your chest. Place your hands on top of your knees. As you inhale, push the knees away from your body. As you exhale, hug the knees to the chest. Repeat 4-6 times.

2. Hip circles:Warms up the hips while keeping the SI joint stable. After your next exhalation, as you inhale let the knees come out wide and begin a circular motion - circling the knees out and up to centre as you inhale, drawing them to the chest as you exhale. Do 4-6 circles in each direction.

3. Supta eka padangustasana:Warms up the hamstrings. Release your left knee and let the foot touch the floor, keeping the left knee bent. Clasp your hands behind the right knee - use a hand towel if you can't comfortably reach. Inhale, stretch the right leg straight up (keeping the foot active, with the toes flexed back towards you!), exhale, bend the knee and bring it down. Repeat 6-10 times, then switch sides. Optionally, proceed to Step 4 on the first side before switching. Hug your knees to your chest when done.

4. Upside-down pigeon: Stretches the gluts and opens the hip joint. Place the left foot on the floor about a foot away from your body. Bring your right leg towards your chest and gently cross the right ankle over the left knee. Keep both feet lightly flexed. Now, gently walk the left foot closer towards your body until you can reach through to grasp the back of the left thigh or the front of the shin. Use your hands (or a strap) to gently pull yourself deeper into the stretch.

You should feel a fairly strong stretch in your right glut (that's your butt, folks) and your right hip. If you feel any pain or twinging in your right knee, ease off immediately!

Hold for about 1 minute, then do the other side. When you're done hug both knees to your chest.

5. Supine Crescent pose:Gives a lateral stretch to the spine and the glut medius. Lie flat on the floor with your feet together and your arms stretched all the way out behind you. Move your right foot out to one side. Then bring the left foot to meet the right foot. Now move your right arm out to one side, and bring the left hand towards the right, so you are lying in a crescent moon shape. Breathe here for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then repeat on the other side. Hug both knees to your chest when done.

6. Jathara Parvritti: Stretches and releases the piriformis. Move both hips a few inches to the right side. Extend the left leg straight out on the floor. Place the right foot on the floor about level with your left knee, and let your arms stretch out to either side. As you exhale, let the right knee fall towards the left side (but keep your right shoulder on the ground). As you inhale, slowly lift the right knee up about 2 inches and hold it there. As you exhale, release it back down. Repeat 4 times and then stay in the "exhale" position for about 30 seconds - then continue on to Step 7.

7. Jathara Parvritti II:Stretches the piriformis and the glut max. This is a big stretch, so be gentle and skip it if it's too much! From position 6, as you inhale, straighten the right leg. As you exhale, bend the right knee again. Repeat 4 times and then stay about 30 seconds with the leg outstretched. Use a book or a chair to support the foot so that your right shoulder stays on the ground! Now, as you inhale, lift the straight right leg about 2 inches and hold it there. As you exhale, bring it back down. Repeat 4 times and then stay in the "exhale" position for 30 seconds - 1 minute before slowly coming out.

Repeat 6 and 7 on the left hand side. When done both sides, hug both knees to your chest.

8. Bridge pose: Stretches the psoas muscle. Place both feet on the ground, about sitting-bone distance apart so that your thighs and feet are in line with one another. As you inhale, lift your tailbone and slowly peel your spine away from the floor, coming into bridge pose. As you exhale, release your spine with control, vertebrae by vertebrae. This should be done gently with an emphasis on keeping the length of the spine - don't go very high if you experience any pain. Repeat 4-6 times. When you are done, hug your knees to your chest for a few breaths.

9. Bhujangasana or Cobra Pose: Strengthens the lower back muscles, which stabilise the SI joint. Lie on your belly with your palms resting underneath the shoulders (elbows tucked in) and your feet together on the floor. This is position A. Exhale, engaging the abdominals. Inhale and look forward, gently lifting your chest up off the floor (the lower ribs and everything below them stay on the floor!). Exhale, come down. Theeet (1metre) apart (position C). Then work your way back to position A.

The 2nd time, bring the feet about 2 feet (60cm) apart (position B). The 3rd time, bring the feet about 3 feet (1metre) apart (position C). Then work your way back to position A.

10. One-legged Cobra:Strengthens the lower back muscles and works the SI joint asymetrically. From Position A, above, on an inhalation lift your chest off the floor and bend the right knee. Exhale back down. Inhale, lift the chest and left knee. Repeat twice on each side. NB - the "exhale" photo shows you coming back to position A with the chest lifted - but actually you should come all the way down until your forehead touches the ground!

11. Full cobra Pose: Strengthens the lower back muscles and works the SI joint symetrically. From Position A, inhale and lift the chest and both knees. Exhale back down. Repeat this four times. NB - the "exhale" photo shows you coming back to position A with the chest lifted - but actually you should come all the way down until your forehead touches the ground!

When you are done, if your lower back is feeling a bit worked, rest a few breaths in child's pose (see step 13). If this is too intense on your lower back, skip straight to the next pose, or alternate between 11 and 12 each time you do the sequence.

12. Locust pose variation: Works the spinal extensors, the piriformis, and the gluteus maximus. Come to Position A of step 9, above, but this time also lift both feet off the floor. The focus here is not on height, but on lengthening the legs behind you. From here, turn the toes of both feet outwards, and bring the legs wide apart. Then, turn the toes inwards and bring the feet back together until the toes are touching. Come down and rest, then repeat this four times. NB - if you are like me and have a sensitive pelvic bone, put a folded up towel/blanket or a pillow underneath your pelvis when you do this pose.

13. Child's pose: Counter-pose to backbending. Come to your hands and knees, and then drop the buttocks back towards the heels. Bring your hands back towards your feet and rest your forehead on the floor (or a book/block/blanket). Stay for at least 30 seconds.

14. Savasana: Allows your body to absorb the benefits of the practice! Lie flat on your back in final resting pose, placing a rolled up towel / blanket / yoga mat underneath the knees. You can also place your lower legs on a chair seat! This releases the lower back and the backs of the legs. Stay here for a minimum of 3 minutes, breathing naturally and letting go of all tension in your body. If you enjoy visualisations try the following: as you inhale, visualise a wave of warm, pure, healing water entering your body from the top of your head and moving towards your lower back and legs. As you exhale, visualise the wave leaving your body, taking with it all tension and stress.

just been preparing some suggestions for someone from my class on the same topic - have forwarded this one, and bookmarked it for my own future reference - never know when the sciatica twinge is going to come back.

Thank you so much for such clear information with photos, as a new yoga teacher I am a little concerned as I have slight sciatica, and am wondering how this will effect my work. I am looking forward to trying out your sequence. Alot of the research I have read says to avoid forward bends , but it looks like it works for you, do you think this is true in most cases? Once again, many thanks

Hi anon, thanks for the comment. Sciatica is really different for everyone so it's hard to create generic advice, but I would say to avoid deep forward bends until your symptoms clear up. The 2 forward bends in this sequence are meant to be very gentle and are there to stretch out the lower back and counterpose the forward bends. If you find they are aggravating your sciatica even more, you could stop the sequence at child's pose, with your knees together and your spine rounding.

In terms of your teaching, it should be fairly easy to avoid deep forward bends. In standing forward folds your students can't see you anyway, so there is no need to demonstrate the pose, only how to get in and out. In poses like triangle and in seated forward folds you can set a good example by not coming in too deep, and then instead of staying in the pose, use the time to walk around the room and help students with their alignment!

Smack the painful area with fresh stinging nettles really well for a minute or so - you will have an INSTANTANEOUS pain relief, which will last for about an hour or so. You will be symptom-free within a couple of days. (Research Stinging Nettles on the Net) I also use a yoga sequence similar to La Gitane's. What I learned from her blog is the NB warning just before the Sciatica Sequence - a very valuable piece of advice. Thank you Gitane!

Nettle tea is really helpful to relieve the leg pain associated with sciatica, since the inflammation of the condition is sometimes related to kidney dysfunction. I wouldn't recommend direct skin application unless you know you experience minimal reaction to nettle stings - and even then, it's just going to provide temporary relief if the underlying cause (such as poor posture or general inactivity) goes ignored/untreated. I'm sensitive enough to nettle that I'm driven mad by the lightest contact with my skin, and can't take it internally more than once per day. Whacking my back with the stuff would just put me in hospital, I think.

Thank you for sharing this. I too am a yoga teacher with sciatica which has hit a new phase of agony right now. (the irony is that i completed my yoga therapists diploma with a project on sciatica, literally weeks before i got it. that was a year ago and it seems to get worse and worse.) i am quite wary of forward bends, but hearing you say that sciatica is different for everyone is consoling somehow as i've recently been feeling depressed that i may not be able to teach yoga anymore. i'd like to ask what you think of warrior pose? i always understood it was recommended for sciatica but lately think it might have worsened my pain.v best wishes, emily

Thanks for commenting! I think I am going to write a post on yoga teachers and sciatica - it's something that seems to affect many of us! I say that sciatica is different for everyone since sciatica can occur due to pinching anywhere along the sciatic nerve. So it could definitely be the case that Warrior poses are exacerbating your pain. While warrior poses stretch the psoas to some extent, they also tighten the glutes and the piriformis which might increase the pinching on the sicatic nerve if that's where it's coming from. Do you notice a difference between Warrior II and Warrior I? That might give you some clues. I've never heard the Warriors "recommended" for sciatica but nor was I aware of any contra-indications. At the end of the day I think you should listen to what your body is telling you! Try leaving out the Warrior poses for a few days and see if it makes a difference.

tnx for posting this! I never thought Warriors can be bad for sciatica. I'm new at Yoga and since I've been practicing it, I feel awful pain. Should I continue or yoga is just not for me?? :( I practise power yoga, but I have scoliosis, lordosis, spondylosis and problems with sciatica. I can't sleep because of the pain.. Please help!

Thanks for commenting. Based on what you have written here, I would say YES! You should stop your current yoga practice immediately if you think it is causing you pain! Forward bends especially can be bad for both sciatica and spondylosis, so if you have recently added a lot of these to your routine it may be making things worse.

Having said that, there are many different types of yoga. Yoga CAN be very therapeutic for people with spinal conditions like the ones you mention, but your current power yoga practice might not be right for you. If you want to continue with yoga, my advice would be get a one-on-one session with a qualified yoga therapist, someone who has experience with your particular issues. An experienced yoga therapist will be able to give you guidelines on which types of movements to avoid and on what kind of practice is right for you. It will be worth the money to get personalised advice!

thank you for the poses- i am suffering with L5S1 herniated disc with the s1 nerve root displaced- so much leg and back pain for over 5 weeks now....trying to avoid any surgery- had a steroid block and having a bit of relief already- will work some of these poses in too to hopefully ease these terrific pains...thank you! d.b.

Hi d.b - I'm sorry to hear about your injury and hope you manage to find some relief from your pain! However please note that this sequence is NOT designed for someone with an injured back and some of the moves may NOT be appropriate for your disc herniation. Research evidence does suggest that many back conditions can be resolved without surgery, but if you are hoping to use yoga in this way, you should seek professional advice. I would really advise you to consult a yoga therapist who can work with you one-on-one. Good luck on your healing journey!

Smack the painful area with fresh stinging nettles really well for a minute or so - you will have an INSTANTANEOUS pain relief, which will last for about an hour or so. You will be symptom-free within a couple of days. (Research Stinging Nettles on the Net) I also use a yoga sequence similar to La Gitane's. What I learned from her blog is the NB warning just before the Sciatica Sequence - a very valuable piece of advice. Thank you Gitane!

Great post, thanks for putting it out there, I am sure many people will find it helpful. I came across it via Pinterest after pinning the Sciatic nerve image to our Yoga community Pinterest board "Therapeutic Yoga" followed the link and found the post!

I have just shared the link back to your blog with our Facebook community too which you are more than welcome to check out here:http://www.facebook.com/DownDogBoutique

If you would like me to share any future blog posts or features please don't hesitate to get in touch.

I have spinal stenosis and herniated discs, am 64 yrs old, and have been looking for yoga stretches that do not involve back bends which is how I found your site. Many of your photos are missing. I look forward to learning more when they are uploaded. Thank you.

Hi LA Gitane, I have a herniated disk. I never had any problem before as I used to practice surya namaskara. For the past few weeks I have sore back and it remained regardless of stretches. Thanks to your post, I stopped doing what I did and followed your stretches. Today is the first day and I am feeling a lot better. Thank you.

Hi Ramesh - I'm glad you found these helpful! However for a herniated disk I would recommend that you be very gentle with pose 6 and skip pose 7. Also, replace pose 13 with another repetition of pose 1, since child's pose can aggravate your disk issue. Good luck with your healing!

I love the detailed pictures and instructions. My chiropractor highly suggests me doing most of these stretches for my scoliosis and lower back pain from sitting in the chair too long. They really help strengthen my hamstrings and glutes. Add them with something small like this to get the joints 'oiled and moving'.

Thanks again La Gitane.

Can I have your permission to print out the pictures and instructions so I can follow them at home? It's a little inconvenient to turn on the laptop and set it up.

It is important not to overstretch if you have sciatica. The lower spine needs to be stable. Sometimes it can feel as though stretching is very good because it relieves the pain while you are doing it but it can actually make things worse. Be careful of forward bends especially. I am 66 and have sciatica from time to time usually due to lifting or moving something heavy. I have learned not to overstretch and this is a subtle thing to get to know, especially when you are used to being active. Think of the lower part of your spine and send it warmth and stillness and only gently stretch.

Hi Stacey, yes, it's easy to overdo it. If your student experiences sacral pain from doing cobra, he can try doing the pose with his legs wider apart. Or, have him do Locust pose instead which focuses on lengthening the lower back more than on bending it. At the end of the day though, all you can do is facilitate and share what you know: only he can learn to practice what is right for his body!

I recently had bone chips removed from L 5 S1 these bone chips were putting pressure on S1and a bruise ,how long will take to repair bruise, I have had two shots to that erea one before operation and one 10-18-13 the pain level 4 is coming back,will these stretches work or maybe you can tell which ones will help or hurt me?

Dear Anonymous, I'm sorry to hear about your pain. I'm afraid that over the internet and without knowing more details it's not possible for me to give you any specific advice, but it is quite possible that some of these stretches would aggravate the pain in your lower back and sacrum.

But it is also quite possible that yoga can help a great deal with managing your pain in the long run! I would advise you to speak to a doctor and ask about what types of movements you should and shouldn't do, and then take that information to an experienced yoga therapist (try someone registered with the International Association of Yoga Therapists) to work out an individualised programme for you. Good luck on your healing journey!

Thank you for the excellent information. I wish I had resources like this during my decade long battle with back and sciatic leg pain. Unfortunately it took 2 failed back surgeries before I discovered the power of flexibility and core strength in yoga. I wrote a book about my experience that some might find helpful if they are finding the traditional treatments are not working for them:

This is amazing! I'm graduating from law school in 3 weeks. I often get sciatic pain from all the long hours of sitting hunched over books and the computer. This was such a great way to relieve the pain and spend some time relaxing. Can't wait to make it a part of my regular routine.

I am definitely going to try these ASAP. Been taking pain meds for about a week now, and I do NOT like taking aspirin, much less painkillers. Always try to look for natural alternatives and home remedies. Thank you and hope they work.

Can you tell me which yoga positions help with Sciatica pain caused by a herniated disc, I have been dealing with this pain for 12 years now I am so tired of a lack of sleep, painful days and not being able to play with my children anymore. Please help

Most herniated discs bulge out backwards. If this is your case, the sequence above is safe for you to do, with only a few modifications, as follows:

Pose #6: Do not let your leg "drop" sideways. Instead, begin the pose lying on your side with the uppermost knee bent, as pictured. Then, lift your uppermost arm back upwards to come into the twist.

Do not do pose #7.

Substitute pose #1 (knees to chest) for pose #13

The key with a backwards-bulging disc is to avoid all forward bends until your pain is gone. This includes things like bending over to pick up children, vaccumming, picking up toys off the floor, sitting for long hours with a rounded spine... I know it seems hard, but if you can avoid these activities and allow your back to rest and heal, you may be able to work towards a pain-free life. My heart goes out to you and I wish you the best.

Really helped. Even though I had known and done these stretches in the past, I forgot how helpful they really are. Next time I won't wait to be in pain before returning to them. They are wonderful just to get the body moving. Thanks again!

I am suffering from sciatica since 4 months. I have tried everything but still no good result. I am about to lose my job as it becomes extremely difficult for me to carry out routine work and long sittings. MRI reports says that I have l4 l5 disk bulging which compressed sciatica nurve of left leg. Please suggest me which among the above yoga's I can perform at home for recovery from pain.

Thank you so much for this sequence! After working in a nursing home for a while I was starting with sciatic pain and fortunately left before it got worse! I really enjoyed your collection of poses and my body feels great x Namaste x

Sciatica is a broad term used for pain relating to an inflammation or pinching of the sciatic nerve. The pain is usually felt in the lower back around the sacrum area, in the hips, or along the backs of the thighs.Sciatica can often be caused by repetitive motions or postures, such as pushing the gas pedal while driving or sitting cross-legged for extended periods. In Yoga , sciatica is often associated with forward bending.

I first ran across these stretches over a year ago when my wife was having a lot of sciatica-like pain from her lumbar stenosis. Then I wrenched my back last week and through the mist of searing pain remembered your blog. These stretches help.

I have lower back pain on left side after delivery and delivery was on 25 th January 2013 .MRI says 1.Bilateral sacroiliitis more on left side 2.Mild diffuse disc bulge with mild central impression on thecal sac at l4/l5 levels 3.minimal lumbar scoliosis.I have pain on left shoulder also.Can I do this yoga stretches?Please help.Thanks in advance.

Hi anonymous, thanks for commenting on my blog. I think this sequence is safe for you to do. I recommend you read my reply to a commenter named Megan, above, for some tips on modifying this sequence with a disc bulge. I'd also be cautious of the first and second movements for your sacroiliitis - you can still do them but move very slowly and skip them if you think they are making your inflammation worse. Good luck!

my dad has been suffering from his left leg, from his toe through his bottoms for about 9 months now, due to these he cant move or raise his left shoulder due to the pain in his joints. what should i do to help him? pls.....

Dear Wilow, I'm sorry to hear of your Dad's suffering. It sounds like he should definitely see a specialist to get the right advice for him. He could try some of these stretches, but please know that without a correct diagnosis I can not make any statements for certain. Good luck.

Hi Anonymous, all of these poses are safe for the first trimester of pregnancy, but I wouldn't recommend the sequence after about 16 weeks because it includes poses lying on your back. For a sciatic stretch, try propped pigeon pose: http://yogagypsy.blogspot.com/2013/07/yoga-tip-tuesdays-3-great-ways-to.html

About Me

I am a passionate student and practitioner of yoga, a 500-hour certified teacher, and I'm currently working towards a Graduate Certificate in Yoga Therapy.
However, ONLY YOU truly know yourself and your body. In practicing any of the poses or sequences shown on the blog, please use self-awareness, caution, and self-respect. Remember: you are your own best teacher!